Input system including position-detecting device

ABSTRACT

A position-detecting device detects a position pointed to by a position-pointing instrument and includes an operation panel detecting the position pointed to by the position-pointing instrument; and a manipulation-detecting unit located at at least one of the interior and the exterior of the operation panel, and detecting a manipulation by a second instrument other than the position-pointing instrument, or detecting a manipulation by both the position-pointing instrument and the second instrument.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS AND CLAIM TO PRIORITY

This application is a divisional of application Ser. No. 11/189,033,filed Jul. 26, 2005, now abandoned, which is based upon applicationnumber 2004-218374, filed Jul. 27, 2004 in Japan, the disclosure ofwhich is incorporated herein by reference and to which priority isclaimed.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to input systems includingposition-detecting devices that detect positions specified withposition-pointing styluses.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Pen tablets are known as input devices used in electronic devices, suchas personal computers. Japanese Unexamined Patent ApplicationPublication No. 2002-244806 assigned to the present assignee disclosesvarious types of pen tablets.

A typical pen tablet includes a position-pointing stylus and anapproximately planar position-detecting device. When a user points atany position on the position-detecting device with the position-pointingstylus in his or her hand, the position-detecting device detects thepointed to position and outputs it to an external electronic device thatis connected to the position-detecting device.

Since the user can manipulate the position-pointing stylus as if theuser were writing characters or drawing pictures with a pen during aninput operation of the electronic device, the user can experience anatural-feeling operation. Thus, pen tablets are popular with users.

For example, when the user inputs drawing positions (hereinafter, thisoperation is referred to as a drawing operation) when executing adrawing application program in the electronic device, the user canconveniently perform the drawing operation with the pen tablet as if theuser were drawing a picture.

When the user executes the drawing application program, the user needsto perform accompanying setting operations in addition to the drawingoperation itself. These setting operations include, for example, settingdrawing colors, the size of a drawing area, and line thicknesses,scrolling a screen, and zooming in and out.

In general, the user uses a dedicated menu screen to perform thesesetting operations. In many cases, the user alternately performs thesetting operations on the menu screen and the drawing operation. In thisenvironment, since the user needs to suspend the drawing operation andmove the position-pointing stylus from a position on a picture beingdrawn to a position on the menu screen to perform the setting operationson the menu screen during the drawing operation, the continuity ofuser's thought may be broken, thereby spoiling the user's imagination.The user, who needs to concentrate on the drawing operation, may feelthat the operation on the menu screen is highly complicated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to facilitateoperations, such as setting drawing colors, the size of a drawing area,and line thicknesses, scrolling a screen, and zooming in and out, duringthe operation of a position-pointing stylus.

To achieve the object, a position-detecting device according to thepresent invention detects a position pointed to by a position-pointinginstrument. The position-detecting device includes an operation paneldetecting the position pointed to by the position-pointing instrument;and a manipulation-detecting unit located at least one of the interiorand the exterior of the operation panel, and detecting a manipulation bya second instrument other than the position-pointing instrument, ordetecting a manipulation by both the position-pointing instrument andthe second instrument. In this case, the second instrument is, forexample, a user's finger.

Thus, since a user can simultaneously perform a certain type ofoperation using the position-pointing instrument and another type ofoperation on the manipulation-detecting unit, the user can performvarious types of operations without suspending the manipulation by theposition-pointing instrument, thereby achieving excellent operability.For example, the user can simultaneously perform an operation using theposition-pointing instrument in the right hand and manipulate themanipulation-detecting unit using the left hand. The user can alsomanipulate the manipulation-detecting unit using the position-pointinginstrument in the right hand. That is, the user can use both hands toperform an input operation. Moreover, when the manipulation-detectingunit detects a manipulation by the position-pointing instrument, theuser can manipulate the manipulation-detecting unit, holding theposition-pointing instrument in his or her hand, and can perform varioustypes of operations only with the position-pointing instrument.

The position on the operation panel pointed to by the position-pointinginstrument may be detected by sending and receiving electromagneticwaves to and from the position-pointing instrument.

In this arrangement, the manipulation-detecting unit may be apush-detecting switch.

The manipulation-detecting unit may detect a touching or pushingmanipulation.

In this arrangement, the user can manipulate the manipulation-detectingunit by a simple manipulation, that is, a touching or pushingmanipulation. Thus, even when the user performs an operation using theposition-pointing instrument in the dominant hand and manipulates themanipulation-detecting unit using the nondominant hand, the user canreliably perform the operation, thereby achieving excellent operabilityand reducing the user's workload.

The manipulation-detecting unit may detect the manipulation by both theposition-pointing instrument and the second instrument, and theposition-detecting device may determine whether the manipulation isperformed by the position-pointing instrument or the second instrument,upon detecting the manipulation through the manipulation-detecting unit.

In this arrangement, the user can perform various types of inputoperations using the manipulation-detecting unit by distinguishing amanipulation by the position-pointing instrument from that by the secondinstrument.

The operation panel and an area peripheral to the operation panel mayform a detectable area detecting the position of the position-pointinginstrument, the manipulation-detecting unit may be disposed within thedetectable area, and the position-detecting device may determine whetherthe manipulation detected by the manipulation-detecting unit isperformed by the position-pointing instrument or the second instrument,based on the position of the position-pointing instrument during themanipulation.

In this arrangement, the position-detecting device can reliablydetermine the type of instrument used for manipulating themanipulation-detecting unit. Moreover, since the detectable area neednot correspond to the operation panel, flexibility in the location ofthe manipulation-detecting unit can be improved.

The manipulation-detecting unit may be disposed within the operationpanel. In this arrangement, the size of the position-detecting devicecan be reduced.

The position-detecting device according to the present inventionincludes a position-pointing instrument, and an electronic deviceoperating based on the detected position from the position-detectingdevice which may constitute an input system.

In this arrangement, the user can simultaneously perform an inputoperation of the electronic device using the position-pointinginstrument and another input operation. For example, when a drawingapplication program is executed in the electronic device, the user cansimultaneously draw lines using the position-pointing instrument and canmanipulate the manipulation-detecting unit to invoke a menu screen andperform operations on the menu screen and other operations, such asscrolling the screen and zooming in and out. Thus, the user can performoperations other than an application operation so that the applicationoperation flow using the position-pointing instrument and the user'sthoughts are not interrupted, thereby achieving excellent operability.Moreover, for example, the user can simultaneously perform an operationusing the position-pointing instrument in the right hand and manipulatethe manipulation-detecting unit using the left hand. The user can alsomanipulate the manipulation-detecting unit using the position-pointinginstrument in the right hand. That is, the user can use both hands toperform an input operation of the electronic device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating the overall structure of a tabletaccording to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged plan view illustrating the detailedstructure of the touch pad shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the structure of a controllingcircuit included in the tablet shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a plan view illustrating the layout of detectable areas in thetablet shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a typical operation of the tabletshown in FIG. 1 when the tablet is used as an input device for anelectronic device;

FIG. 6 is a plan view illustrating the overall structure of a tabletaccording to a second embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a plan view illustrating the overall structure of a tabletaccording to a third embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

A first embodiment according to the present invention will now bedescribed with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a plan viewillustrating the overall structure of a tablet 1 serving as a typicalposition-detecting device according to the first embodiment of thepresent invention. The tablet 1 is used in combination with an inputstylus 21 serving as a typical position-pointing stylus, and isconnected to an external electronic device, such as a personal computer,as shown in FIG. 3.

The tablet 1 includes a housing 11 including an operation panel 12,touch pad units 13 and 14, and a pilot lamp 15.

The housing 11 has an approximately rectangular shape, is composed of,for example, a synthetic resin or a metallic material, and includes, forexample, a controlling circuit 200, as shown in FIG. 3.

The operation panel 12 is a planar area provided at the approximatemidsection of the housing 11. The tablet 1 detects a position on theoperation panel 12 pointed to by the input stylus 21. The operationpanel 12 includes an XY coordinate system including a virtual X-axis andY-axis that orthogonally intersect each other. The tablet 1 outputs XYcoordinates of the position pointed to by the input stylus 21. In FIG.1, the X-axis extends in the horizontal direction, and the Y-axisextends in the vertical direction.

The pilot lamp 15 is turned on when the tablet 1 is connected to anelectronic device 22 shown in FIG. 3 and becomes available, or detects amanipulation with, for example, the input stylus 21.

The touch pad units 13 and 14 are provided at both sides of theoperation panel 12. The touch pad unit 13 includes a touch pad 131 thatdetects a pushing operation by a user and four switches 132, 133, 134,and 135. The touch pad 131 has a strip shape and detects the positionpushed during the pushing operation. The switches 132, 133, 134, and 135have a strip shape and are turned on by the pushing operation. Theswitches 132, 133, 134, and 135 may have any shape, such as a circularor quadrate shape, instead of the strip shape.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged plan view illustrating the detailedstructure of the touch pad 131. The touch pad 131 includes a pluralityof push-detecting switches 136 in the longitudinal direction. Thepush-detecting switches 136 are turned on by the pushing operation. Thelongitudinal direction of the touch pad 131 is referred to as the “axis”indicated by an arrow in the drawing. In this embodiment, the axis ofthe touch pad 131 is parallel to the Y-axis of the operation panel 12.

The tablet 1 detects a pushed position in the axis direction bydetermining which of the push-detecting switches 136 are turned on. Thetablet 1 may determine that a position between two adjacentpush-detecting switches 136 is pushed upon simultaneously detecting thepushing operation on the two push-detecting switches 136. In thisarrangement, when the touch pad 131 includes seven push-detectingswitches 136, as best shown in FIG. 2, the tablet 1 detects the pushingoperation on thirteen positions, i.e., seven positions at thepush-detecting switches 136 and six positions between the push-detectingswitches 136 indicated by symbols A in the drawing.

Since the touch pad 141 has the same structure as the touch pad 131, thedescription and drawing of the touch pad 141 are omitted.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the structure of the controllingcircuit 200 included in the tablet 1. The controlling circuit 200includes a controlling unit 201, a transmitter/receiver 202, selectingcircuits 203 and 204, and loop coils 205 and 206. The touch pads 131 and141 and the switches 132, 133, 134, 135, 142, 143, 144, and 145 areconnected to the controlling unit 201.

FIG. 3 also illustrates the external electronic device 22, which isconnected to the tablet 1 and includes a displaying unit 23 and anoutput unit 24, and the input stylus 21, which is used in combinationwith the tablet 1. The tablet 1, the input stylus 21, and the electronicdevice 22 constitute an input system 100.

A plurality of the loop coils 205 are provided under the operation panel12 and at a predetermined pitch in the X-axis direction of the operationpanel 12. Each loop coil 205 extends parallel to the Y-axis of theoperation panel 12. Similarly, a plurality of the loop coils 206 areprovided under the operation panel 12 and at a predetermined pitch inthe Y-axis direction of the operation panel 12. Each loop coil 206extends parallel to the X-axis of the operation panel 12.

The transmitter/receiver 202 is connected to the controlling unit 201.The loop coils 205 and 206 are connected to the transmitter/receiver 202through the selecting circuits 203 and 204, respectively. The selectingcircuit 203 can select one of the loop coils 205, and the selectingcircuit 204 can select one of the loop coils 206.

As described below, the controlling unit 201 selects the loop coils 205through the selecting circuit 203, and performs transmitting andreceiving operations through the transmitter/receiver 202 to retrievethe location in the X-axis direction (the X coordinate) of a positionpointed to by the input stylus 21. Similarly, the controlling unit 201selects the loop coils 206 through the selecting circuit 204, andperforms transmitting and receiving operations through thetransmitter/receiver 202 to retrieve the location in the Y-axisdirection (the Y coordinate) of the position pointed to by the inputstylus 21.

Parts of the loop coils 205 and 206 extend beyond and under theoperation panel 12 for the following reasons: The tablet 1 canaccurately detect a pointed position on the operation panel 12 whenthere is some dimensional tolerance in the structure; and thisarrangement increases flexibility in design.

Thus, in the tablet 1, areas that detect the position of the inputstylus 21 include the operation panel 12 and peripheral areas of theoperation panel 12. These areas are referred to as detectable areas.

FIG. 4 illustrates the layout of the detectable areas in the tablet 1.Specifically, an area directly on the loop coils 205 (indicated bydotted lines in the drawing) is referred to as a detectable area 16, andan area directly on the loop coils 206 (indicated by dotted lines in thedrawing) is referred to as a detectable area 17.

The tablet 1 can retrieve the X coordinate of a position on thedetectable area 16 pointed to by the input stylus 21. Similarly, thetablet 1 can retrieve the Y coordinate of a position on the detectablearea 17 pointed to by the input stylus 21. The tablet 1 can retrieveboth the X and Y coordinates of a position on the operation panel 12pointed to by the input stylus 21.

In FIG. 3, the controlling unit 201 is connected to the electronicdevice 22 external to the controlling circuit 200. The electronic device22 is, for example, a personal computer or a personal digital assistant(PDA), and includes, for example, the displaying unit 23 and the outputunit 24. The displaying unit 23 includes a screen, such as a cathode raytube (CRT) or a liquid crystal display (LCD) or other electronicdisplay. The output unit 24 is, for example, a printer.

The electronic device 22 can execute various types of applicationprograms upon receiving signals from the controlling circuit 200. Forexample, the electronic device 22 performs scrolling and zooming in andout operations on a screen of the displaying unit 23, or performs copy,and cut and paste operations.

As described above, the tablet 1 including the controlling circuit 200is used in combination with the input stylus 21. The input stylus 21 isa position-pointing stylus including a pen-shaped housing having aresonant circuit 211.

The resonant circuit 211, as best shown in FIG. 3, includes a capacitor212 and a coil 213. In the resonant circuit 211, an induced current isgenerated from electromagnetic waves having a predetermined frequencysent from the tablet 1, and then the resonant circuit 211 sendselectromagnetic waves having a predetermined frequency to the tablet 1,based on the induced current. The coil 213 is connected to awriting-pressure-detecting unit (not shown) included in the input stylus21. Inductance in the coil 213 changes in response to the pressureapplied to the tip of the input stylus 21, and the resonant frequency ofthe resonant circuit 211 changes.

The controlling unit 201 controls the transmitter/receiver 202 so as toretrieve coordinates of the position pointed to by the input stylus 21and output these coordinates to the electronic device 22.

Under the control of the controlling unit 201, the transmitter/receiver202 selects one of the loop coils 205 through the selecting circuit 203.Then, the transmitter/receiver 202 controls the selected loop coil 205so as to send the input stylus 21 electromagnetic waves having apredetermined frequency that generate an induced current in the resonantcircuit 211, and receives electromagnetic waves generated from thisinduced current from the input stylus 21. In this way, thetransmitter/receiver 202 sequentially selects the loop coils 205 throughthe selecting circuit 203 and repeats the operation described above todetect the position of the input stylus 21 in the X axis direction.

Similarly, under the control of the controlling unit 201, thetransmitter/receiver 202 selects one of the loop coils 206 through theselecting circuit 204. Then, the transmitter/receiver 202 controls theselected loop coil 206 so as to send the input stylus 21 electromagneticwaves having a predetermined frequency that generate an induced currentin the resonant circuit 211, and receives electromagnetic wavesgenerated from this induced current from the input stylus 21. In thisway, the transmitter/receiver 202 sequentially selects the loop coils206 through the selecting circuit 204 and repeats the operationdescribed above to detect the position of the input stylus 21 in the Yaxis direction.

After the operation described above, the controlling unit 201 outputs XYcoordinates of the positions detected by the transmitter/receiver 202 tothe electronic device 22. The controlling unit 201 also analyzes theelectromagnetic waves from the input stylus 21 through thetransmitter/receiver 202 to detect a change in a resonant frequency inthe resonant circuit 211 and to detect a pushing operation by the inputstylus 21.

When the touch pads 131 and 141 are manipulated, the controlling unit201 retrieves the manipulation positions based on signals from the touchpads 131 and 141, and determines whether the manipulation is performedby the input stylus 21 or another instrument other than the input stylus21, for example, the user's finger. Then, the controlling unit 201generates signals corresponding to the determination result and themanipulation positions, and outputs these signals to the electronicdevice 22.

When the switches 132, 133, 134, 135, 142, 143, 144, 145 are turned onupon detecting a pushing operation, the controlling unit 201 generatessignals representing the switches subjected to the pushing operationbased on signals from these switches, and outputs the generated signalsto the electronic device 22.

The tablet 1 and the electronic device 22 constitute the input system100. The tablet 1 may be also used as an input device for the electronicdevice 22.

A typical operation of the tablet 1 serving as the input device for theelectronic device 22 will now be described with reference to FIG. 5.

The operation illustrated in FIG. 5 may be implemented by either thefunction of the controlling unit 201 or a program executable in theelectronic device 22 connected to the tablet 1, for example, a devicedriver program. In this case, the operation is implemented by thefunction of the controlling unit 201.

In FIG. 5, an operation that is performed upon detecting a manipulationon the touch pads 131 and 141 is illustrated.

In step S11, the controlling unit 201 detects a manipulation on eitherthe touch pad unit 13 or 14, based on signals from the touch pad 131 or141. Then, in step S12, the controlling unit 201 determines whether themanipulation is performed by the input stylus 21 or an instrument otherthan the input stylus 21 by comparing the manipulation position on thetouch pad 131 or 141 and a position of the input stylus 21 detected bythe loop coils 205 and 206. For example, upon detecting the manipulationon the touch pad 131 or 141, the controlling unit 201 determines thatthe touch pad 131 or 141 is manipulated by the input stylus 21 when theposition of the input stylus 21 detected by the loop coils 205 and 206is located outside the operation panel 12 and a pushing operation isperformed on the input stylus 21.

Then, the process proceeds to step S13 where the controlling unit 201retrieves the manipulation position on the touch pad 131 or 141. Then,in step S14, the controlling unit 201 determines whether themanipulation is consecutive. Specifically, the controlling unit 201determines that the manipulation is consecutive when the elapsed timefrom the last manipulation to the current manipulation in the touch pad131 or 141, which detects the manipulation for this time, is within apredetermined time.

When the manipulation is not consecutive, the process proceeds to stepS15 where the controlling unit 201 recognizes the manipulation detectedin step S11 as a single switching operation and generates a signalcorresponding to this manipulation to be output to the electronic device22.

When the manipulation is consecutive, the process proceeds to step S16where the controlling unit 201 performs pulse counting. Specifically,the controlling unit 201 counts the number of consecutive manipulationsand temporarily holds the positions for every consecutive manipulationwhen the manipulations are consecutive. Then, the controlling unit 201generates signals representing a count value and the positions for everyconsecutive manipulation to be output to the electronic device 22.

Any operations in the electronic device 22 triggered by the signalsoutput from the tablet 1 in the operation shown in FIG. 5 can bepredetermined. For example, manipulations on the switches 132, 133, 134,135, 142, 143, 144, and 145 may trigger various types of operations on amenu screen of an application program, and manipulations on the touchpads 131 and 141 may trigger scrolling and zooming in and out of ascreen of the displaying unit 23. According to the present invention,the operations in the electronic device 22 triggered by manipulatingcomponents of the touch pad units 13 and 14 are not limited, and theuser can assign any operations to the components of the touch pad units13 and 14.

As described above, the tablet 1 according to the first embodiment ofthe present invention includes the touch pad units 13 and 14 that can bemanipulated by the input stylus 21 or another instrument in addition tothe operation panel 12 manipulated by the input stylus 21. Thus, theuser can simultaneously perform an operation using the input stylus 21and another operation on the touch pad units 13 and 14 using the otherinstrument.

For example, the user can perform an operation using the input stylus 21in the right hand and another operation on the touch pad unit 14 usingthe left hand. The user can also manipulate the touch pad units 13 and14 using the input stylus 21 in the right hand.

In a typical case, when a drawing application program is executed in theelectronic device 22, the user can simultaneously draw lines using theinput stylus 21 and can manipulate the touch pad units 13 and 14 toinvoke a menu screen and perform operations on the menu screen and otheroperations, such as scrolling the screen and zooming in and out. Thus,the user can perform operations other than an application operation sothat the application operation flow using the input stylus 21 and theuser's thoughts are not interrupted. Unlike known tablets, the tablet 1according to the first embodiment can provide the user with excellentoperability.

Moreover, when the user manipulates the touch pad units 13 and 14, itcan be determined whether the user manipulation is performed by theinput stylus 21 or the other instrument. For example, a manipulation onthe components of the touch pad units 13 and 14 by the input stylus 21is distinguished from a manipulation by the other instrument, i.e., theuser's finger, so that different functions and operations in theelectronic device 22 can be assigned to these types of manipulations. Inthis arrangement, the user can execute many more functions than thenumber of the touch pads and switches in the touch pad units 13 and 14.That is, various types of operations can be performed with the touch padunits 13 and 14, and the tablet 1 is thus a flexible input device.

Moreover, since the touch pad units 13 and 14 are provided at both sidesof the operation panel 12, the user can use both hands to efficientlyperform an input operation. For example, a right-handed user holds theinput stylus 21 in the right hand and manipulates the touch pad unit 14using the left hand. Similarly, a left-handed user holds the inputstylus 21 in the left hand and manipulates the touch pad unit 13 usingthe right hand. Thus, the user can enjoy excellent operability in theinput operation.

Moreover, since the switches 132, 133, 134, 135, 142, 143, 144, and 145have a simple structure, operating errors are less likely to occur evenwhen the user performs the input operation by the nondominant hand,thereby achieving excellent operability. When predetermined operationsin the electronic device 22 are assigned to the switches 132, 133, 134,135, 142, 143, 144, and 145, various types of operations can beperformed only with the touch pad units 13 and 14.

Moreover, the touch pads 131 and 141 use the plurality of push-detectingswitches 136 shown in FIG. 2. Thus, the touch pads 131 and 141 canreliably detect the user manipulation with a low-cost mechanism.

In the first embodiment, each of the touch pads 131 and 141 includes theplurality of push-detecting switches 136. The present invention is notlimited to this embodiment, however, and a capacitive touch pad may beused. The capacitive touch pad can detect a touching manipulation inaddition to a pushing manipulation. A touch pad including push-detectingswitches that detect minute pressure can also detect a touchingmanipulation including a pushing operation by minute pressure. Moreover,the touch pad units 13 and 14 may be located at any positions, forexample, at the lower edge of the operation panel 12.

Moreover, although the touch pad units 13 and 14 have one axis in thefirst embodiment, the touch pad units 13 and 14 may have two or moreaxes to detect a manipulation position in a two-dimensional mode. Otherembodiments according to the present invention including such touch padunits will now be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7.

In FIGS. 6 and 7, components identical to those in the tablet 1 shown inFIGS. 1 to 5 are shown by the same symbols, and the description of thesecomponents is omitted.

FIG. 6 is a plan view illustrating the overall structure of a tablet 3including touch pads 33 and 34, instead of the touch pad units 13 and14.

The tablet 3 includes touch pads 33 and 34 at both sides of operationpanel 12. The touch pads 33 and 34 are located outside the operationpanel 12 and inside a detectable area 17.

The touch pads 33 and 34 have a strip shape and are wider than the touchpad 131 shown in FIG. 2. The touch pads 33 and 34 can detect amanipulation position in a two-dimensional mode during a pushingmanipulation. That is, the touch pads 33 and 34 can detect the locationof the manipulation position in the horizontal direction and thelocation of the manipulation position in the vertical direction.

This arrangement can be implemented by providing the push-detectingswitches 136 shown in FIG. 2 in a matrix in the touch pads 33 and 34, orby using, for example, a pressure-sensing film for the touch pads 33 and34.

With the tablet 3, the user can simultaneously manipulate the inputstylus 21 and the touch pads 33 and 34, as in the tablet 1 describedabove. Thus, the same advantages as in the tablet 1 can be achieved.

Moreover, since the touch pads 33 and 34 can detect a manipulationposition in a two-dimensional mode, the user can perform various typesof input operations by a simple manipulation. For example, in a casewhere a manipulation in which the user's finger or the input stylus 21moves on the touch pads 33 and 34 in a predetermined direction triggersa predetermined operation in the electronic device 22, when the usermoves his or her finger or the input stylus 21 in the verticaldirection, the electronic device 22 controls the displaying unit 23 soas to scroll a screen. When the user moves his or her finger or theinput stylus 21 in the horizontal direction, the electronic device 22controls the displaying unit 23 so as to zoom in and out on the screen.Thus, the tablet 3 is an input device achieving excellent operability.

FIG. 7 is a plan view illustrating the overall structure of a tablet 4including touch pads 43 and 44 instead of the touch pad units 13 and 14.

The touch pads 43 and 44 preferably have the same structure as the touchpads 33 and 34 shown in FIG. 6 and can detect a manipulation position ina two-dimensional mode during a pushing manipulation. The tablet 4includes the touch pads 43 and 44 at both ends of an operation panel 12.

In the tablet 4, the user can simultaneously manipulate the input stylus21 and the touch pads 43 and 44, as in the tablets 1 and 3 describedabove. Thus, the same advantages as in the tablets 1 and 3 can beachieved.

Moreover, since the touch pads 43 and 44 are disposed within theoperation panel 12, the overall size of the tablet 4 can be reduced.That is, since the tablet 4 does not use the detectable areas 16 and 17,unlike the tablets 1 and 3, the overall size of a housing 11 should bethe sum of the size of the operation panel 12 and dimensional tolerance.

The tablet 4 can determines whether a pushing manipulation detected bythe touch pad 43 or 44 is performed by the input stylus 21 or anotherinstrument. Thus, the tablet 4 may be designed so as to ignore amanipulation by the input stylus 21 but accept a manipulation only byinstruments other than the input stylus 21. In this arrangement, evenwhen the input stylus 21 erroneously touches the touch pads 43 and 44during a manipulation on the operation panel 12 by the input stylus 21,the manipulation is not interrupted. Only when the touch pads 43 and 44are manipulated by the instruments other than the input stylus 21, forexample, the user's finger, operations other than that performed on theoperation panel 12 by the input stylus 21 can be performed. Thisachieves both a reduction in the size and excellent operability in thetablet 4.

In the embodiments described above, details of structures (such as theshapes) of the housing 11, the touch pad units 13 and 14, and the touchpads 33, 34, 43, and 44 can be changed if required. Moreover, there isno special limitation on locations of these components, and thesecomponents may be located at the interior and/or the exterior of theoperation panel 12, as described above.

The above description illustrates only embodiments according to thepresent invention, and it should not be construed that the descriptionlimits the technical field to which the present invention is applicable.

What I claimed is:
 1. A position-detecting device for detecting aposition pointed to by a position-pointing instrument, comprising: anoperation panel for detecting the position pointed to by theposition-pointing instrument, said position being detected by receivingelectromagnetic waves to and from the position-pointing instrument; atouch pad operably associated with the operation panel for sensingmanipulation by a user's finger, the touch pad providing an area forsensing manipulation by a user's finger simultaneously with detectingthe position pointed to by the position-pointing instrument; a controlunit operable to determine whether manipulation of the touch pad isconsecutive, and to generate a first signal to be output to anelectronic device having a display unit for displaying if themanipulation is determined to be not consecutive and to generate asecond signal to be output to the electronic device if the manipulationis determined to be consecutive, wherein scrolling and zooming in andout of the display unit for displaying are selectively triggered by themanipulation on the touch pad and by generation of said first and secondsignals by said control unit, wherein the user can simultaneouslyperform a first operation using the position pointing instrument and asecond operation on the touch pad using a finger, and wherein the firstoperation is drawing and the second operation is at least zooming. 2.The position-detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the controlunit determines whether the manipulation is consecutive when elapsedtime from the immediately previous manipulation to the currentmanipulation is within a predetermined period.
 3. The position-detectingdevice according to claim 1, wherein the touch pad is a capacitive touchpad.
 4. The position-detecting device according to claim 1, wherein thearea for sensing manipulation by a user's finger is located at leastpartially within a manipulation area of the operation panel fordetecting the position pointed to by the position-pointing instrument.5. The position-detecting device according to claim 1, wherein theoperation panel detects the position pointed to by the position-pointinginstrument and the control unit determines whether manipulation by theposition-pointing instrument is consecutive while determining whethermanipulation of the touch pad is consecutive.
 6. The position-detectingdevice according to claim 1, wherein the control unit detects both atouching and pushing manipulation on the touch pad.
 7. Theposition-detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the display unitcomprises a screen and both manipulations on the operation panel and thetouch pad are performed thereon.
 8. The position-detecting deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein the touch pad for sensing manipulation bya finger is located outside the operation panel for detecting theposition pointed to by the position-pointing instrument.
 9. Theposition-detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the touch padfor sensing manipulation by a finger is located wholly within theoperation panel for detecting the position pointed to by theposition-pointing instrument.
 10. A system for detecting consecutivemanipulation in a position-detecting device, comprising: aposition-pointing instrument; and a position-detecting device includinga control system for detecting a position pointed to by theposition-pointing instrument to output the detected position, fordetecting simultaneously with the detecting of the position of theposition-pointing instrument a manipulation on a touch pad by a finger,for determining consecutive manipulation based upon sensing manipulationby a finger, and for delivering one of a first signal and a secondsignal to an electronic device having a display unit for displaying animage and indicating the result of the determination whether themanipulation on the touch pad is consecutive, wherein at least one of ascrolling and a zooming function are selectively triggered by thecontrol system determination of said first and second signals related tomanipulation on the touch pad and wherein the user can simultaneouslyperform a drawing operation using the position-pointing instrument andat least the zooming function through manipulation of the touch pad. 11.The system of claim 10, wherein: said position-detecting device includesan operation panel and an operably associated touch pad.
 12. The systemof claim 11, wherein: said touch pad is located wholly within saidoperation panel.
 13. The system of claim 11, wherein: said touch pad islocated at least partially within said operation panel.
 14. The systemof claim 11, wherein: said touch pad is located wholly outside of saidoperation panel.
 15. The system of claim 11, wherein: said touch pad isa capacitive touch pad.
 16. The system of claim 11, wherein: saidoperation panel includes an electromagnetic sensor.
 17. The system ofclaim 11, wherein: said display unit displays the output of both saidoperation panel and said touch pad.
 18. The system of claim 11, wherein:said control system simultaneously senses said operation panel and saidtouch pad and determines whether manipulation of the position-pointinginstrument is consecutive while also determining whether manipulation onthe touch pad is consecutive.
 19. A method of operating aposition-detecting device for detecting a position pointed to by aposition-pointing instrument and determining a consecutive manipulationby a user's finger, comprising the steps of: providing an operationpanel for detecting the position pointed to by the position-pointinginstrument; providing a touch pad for detecting a manipulation by auser's finger; providing a control unit for ascertaining consecutivemanipulation on the touch pad and for generating correspondingindicating signals; sensing manipulation by the finger simultaneouslywith detecting the position pointed to by the position-pointinginstrument; detecting consecutive manipulation by the finger; generatinga first signal if the manipulation is determined not to be consecutiveand a second signal if the manipulation is determined to be consecutive;delivering one of the first signal and second signal to an electronicdevice having a display unit, and simultaneously performing a drawingoperation responsive to the position-pointing instrument and at least azooming operation displayed on said display unit when said second signalindicative of consecutive manipulation by the finger is generated. 20.The method of claim 19, including the step of delivering the signal tothe display unit and displaying the position sensed.
 21. The method ofclaim 19, including the step of generating a third signal if themanipulation by the position-pointing instrument is detellnined not tobe consecutive and a fourth signal if the manipulation is determined tobe consecutive.